1st March, 2017
Magistrates on Wednesday summoned French conservative Presidential Candidate Francois Fillon over hefty payments paid to his family for fake jobs, a local newspaper reported.
On its website, Le Journal de Dimanche reported that magistrates summoned Fillon over the so-called “Penelopegate,’’ forcing the presidential nominee to postpone a key campaign event at a planned appearance at the Paris Agriculture Fair.
Without giving reason to the unexpected change in schedule, Fillon’s team said the 62-year-old presidential candidate will make an announcement at noon at his campaign headquarters.
The fake-job allegations have tormented the conservative camp for months, and Fillon repeatedly said he would drop his bid if he was placed under formal investigation.
Last week, three magistrates were appointed to examine a possible misuse of public funds, lack of full and proper disclosure and misappropriation of assets by the former French prime minister.
Fillon, once the most likely to succeed Socialist President Francois Hollande, trails behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen and independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, both expected to meet in the second run-off on May 7.